Clothing-optional hot springs
Many hot springs in the American West have a long tradition of optional swimwear, especially remote natural springs and a few retreat-style resorts. Here are the springs where clothing is recorded as optional, and the etiquette that keeps them welcoming for everyone.
| Hot spring | Water temp | Type | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thermae Boetfort | Not recorded | Developed | Steenokkerzeel (1 mi) |
| Caracalla Therme | Not recorded | Developed | Baden-Baden |
| Alkali Hot Springs | 135°F | Developed | Mammoth Lakes, CA (11 mi) |
| Baker Hot Springs | 108°F | Developed | Peaceful Valley, WA (25 mi) |
| Bat Pool | Not recorded | Developed | Lone Pine, CA (21 mi) |
| Breitenbush Hot Springs | Not recorded | Resort | Mill City, OR (25 mi) |
| Buckeye Hot Springs | 140°F | Developed | Topaz Ranch Estates, NV (36 mi) |
| Deep Creek Hot Springs | 108°F | Developed | Lake Arrowhead, CA (6 mi) |
| East Fork Carson River Hot Springs | 149°F | Developed | Gardnerville Ranchos, NV (8 mi) |
| Esalen Institute Hot Springs | Not recorded | Resort | Greenfield, CA (26 mi) |
| Goldbug Hot Springs | 113°F | Natural | Salmon, ID (19 mi) |
| Goldmyer Hot Springs | Not recorded | Developed | Tanner, WA (17 mi) |
| Jerry Johnson Hot Springs Big Pool | 118°F | Developed | Hamilton, MT (37 mi) |
| Little Creek Hot Springs | 180°F | Developed | Mammoth Lakes, CA (8 mi) |
| Orvis Hot Spring | 126°F | Developed | Ouray, CO (8 mi) |
| Skinny Dipper's Hot Springs | 178°F | Natural | Emmett, ID (27 mi) |
| Tecopa Natural Hot Springs Free | Not recorded | Developed | Pahrump, NV (26 mi) |
| Terwilliger Hot Springs (Cougar Hot Springs) | Not recorded | Natural | Oakridge, OR (26 mi) |
| Travertine Hot Spring | 180°F | Developed | Hawthorne, NV (37 mi) |
| Umpqua Hot Springs | 117°F | Developed | Oakridge, OR (32 mi) |
| Upper Warm Spring | Not recorded | Developed | Lone Pine, CA (24 mi) |
| Valley View Hot Springs | 99°F | Developed | Salida, CO (26 mi) |
| Verde Hot Springs | 104°F | Developed | Pine, AZ (15 mi) |
| Volcano Pool | 120°F | Developed | Lone Pine, CA (22 mi) |
| Wild Willy's Hot Springs | Not recorded | Developed | Mammoth Lakes, CA (11 mi) |
Etiquette at clothing-optional springs
- No photos of other people. Ask before you take any picture, and never photograph strangers.
- Follow the posted policy. Some places are optional only after dark, on certain days or in certain pools.
- Sit on a towel on shared benches and in saunas.
- Behave as you would in any public place. Staring or sexual behavior gets people banned and places closed.
- Families: check the policy before you bring children, so nobody is surprised.
Policies change. Our records come from public map data and are not complete, so a spring missing from this list may still be clothing optional. Check with the operator.